Volkswagen Amarok tackles Cape York

We take Volkswagen's Amarok ute to the pinnacle of Australia's mainland - the tough way!

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Volkswagen Amarok tackles Cape York

18 Sep 2015David Morley

Take a trip into the outback, and you might be surprised at just how many recreational users have taken to the four-wheel-drive, dual-cab ute concept.

Where full-sized station-wagon off-roaders once ruled the range, the likes of the Toyota Hi-Lux, Nissan Navara​, Mitsubishi Triton and even relative newcomers such as the Ford Ranger and Mazda BT-50 are now cropping up in big numbers in the bush.

Value for money, economy of operation and versatility of layout are the main reasons, it would seem.

But while Volkswagen's Amarok which launched here in 2011 has been well received by those who've driven it, the German brand hasn't made the same impression beyond the bitumen.

Which seems a bit odd, because the VW amounts to probably the most-polished on-road performer in the dual-cab brigade where, let's be honest, such a vehicle will spend the majority of its time.

And that suggests that it's the Amarok's off-road credentials that are being questioned by buyers.

That hasn't been helped by the fact that the Amarok is at its best with the eight-speed automatic transmission fitted; it's a smoother, more refined and easier-to-live-with vehicle than its six-speed manual counterpart.

But by ticking the automatic box, buyers also trade-off the manual's transfer-case; the part of the driveline that offers super-low ratios for climbing over boulders and slogging through sand.

But Volkswagen reckons that, transfer-case or not, the eight-speed automatic Amarok has the off-road smarts to make the grade, so it recently sent a group of six Amaroks to the northernmost point in mainland Australia, the tip of Cape York, to prove that point.

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Drive was invited along to co-drive one of the Amaroks so, after a flight to Cairns, a second flight to Weipa on the edge of the Gulf of Carpentaria and then a short drive on unsealed but fairly well maintained roads, we arrived at Moreton Station on the Wenlock River.

On this section, the Amarok's two-litre turbo-diesel reminded us just how far diesel technology has come with ample urge and an obliging feel that makes for relaxed progress even at relatively high speeds.

The eight-speed auto also impresses in this environment, with smooth shifts and a gear for every occasion – on the road, at least.

Next day, it was another short road hop to Bramwell Junction which is the start of the Old Telegraph Track, a rough track hewn through the tropical bush back in the 1880s to facilitate the building of the Overland Telegraph that linked the most remote parts of Australia with the rest of the world.

The track still passes metal poles, dubbed Marconi poles, which carried the original telegraph wires and were made from iron to resist attack from the local termites which are otherwise notable for the three-metre-plus mounds they build throughout the scrub and even up to the side of the road.

Our first water crossing was at Palm Creek and although this is often completely waterless at this late stage of the dry season, plenty of rain in the previous few weeks saw it relatively deep.

The only modification to our Amaroks consisted of some bash plates for undercar protection and a snorkel, allowing the engine to breathe air, not water, despite the water levels sometimes reaching above the VW's headlights.

This part of Australia is interesting for the way the scenery constantly changes.

From tropical scrub to wide, flat plains of coastal heath, to the more typical landscape of grass trees and ancient cycads and plenty more in between, the view is an ever-changing one.

One thing remained the same, though; thanks to that rain, every creek crossing demanded a fair bit of respect and – in some cases – a trip across on foot first to check the depth and the condition of the riverbed our tyres would be dealing with.

But aren't there crocs in the waters up here, you ask?

In places, yes, but where there are waterfalls (which the crocodiles can't climb) you're pretty safe, although tapping into some local knowledge is the correct approach. That and not ignoring the fairly unambiguous signs posted at some crossings.

The terrain and the crossings get a bit more serious at the Dulhunty River (which is also a great place to camp) and then it's on to the infamous (among those who know the area) Gunshot Crossing which is the river crossing that is by far the most technical and difficult.

Like many crossings on the Old telegraph Track, the Gunshot involves entering via a narrow sluice.

But where the others are relatively gradual (and I do mean relatively) the Gunshot has several entry points, but they all feature almost vertical drops of about four metres.

The Gunshot was the only crossing the Amaroks couldn't beat. Actually, the truth is we didn't so much as attempt the crossing as even the most air-bag-friendly entry point of the lot plonked you down in a huge bog-hole.

And without any chance of maintaining momentum thanks to the precarious entry, we would simply have been bogged.

Ironically, it wasn't the lack of a transfer-case that stopped us, but rather the lack of something any other serious off-roader carries; a winch.

So why did we take Amaroks with no winches? Simply that Volkswagen head office in Germany has repeatedly ignored suggestions from VW Australia that it develop a bull-bar to suit the Amarok.

Without a bull-bar it's more or less impossible to fit a winch effectively, but VW's global approach to pedestrian safety precludes this.

In the end, we used a by-pass road that took us around the Gunshot Crossing and back on to the Telegraph Track a few kilometres to the north; pride dented, but Amaroks intact.

And plenty of tricky crossings to go.

Although it's only about 110km long, the Telegraph Track requires at least two days to cover, with the gnarly terrain imposing its own speed limits and driver discretion playing a big part.

So we were forced to camp in the bush for a night, but what a spectacle Eliot Falls campsite offers up.

Literally 300 metres from our tents lay the magnificent, spring-fed falls with a variety of swimming holes all within easy walking distance to the campsite with permanent toilet blocks but not much else.

The water is clean, clear and, most importantly, croc-free and you can imagine spending more than one night, stretching the Telegraph Track adventure even further.

Back on the track, the river crossings became gradually more difficult (Gunshot aside) with even deeper water and steep drop-ins to test the driver's nerve.

But the automatic transmission of the Amarok made it all seem pretty easy even if we did get one Amarok bobbing around like a cork in one of the deeper rivers.

The driver kept his foot buried and the Pirelli all-terrain tyres acted as paddlewheels, finally propelling him on to firm riverbed.

Eventually, we made it back to the main road and headed for the Jardine River which was once crossed only by fording, but is now served by a ferry.

Take my advice: Take the ferry. The old crossing can still be negotiated but only if you're lucky, as it's a dangerous crossing at the best of times.

The Jardine is also thick with crocs, so getting out to attach a tow-strap doesn't really appeal.

Finally, the road trip ends at a car park just to the west of the very tip, followed by a 500m clamber over rocks to get to the northernmost point of the mainland and the small, stainless-steel sign that proclaims the fact.

As for the Amaroks, the only damage incurred was the odd scrape to a bumper from a submerged rock, and a small dent in the rear corner from a river drop-in.

And was the lack of a transfer-case ever an issue? No, but it's worth mentioning that the relatively flat country on the Cape meant that it probably wouldn't have been needed in most off-roaders either.

But that doesn't alter the fact that the VWs cruised through the journey and would have made every check-point had they been fitted with winches.

And if a transfer-case is a must for you, then the manual-gearbox Amarok has that base covered, too.

2015 Volkswagen Amarok price and specifications

Volkswagen Amarok TDI 420 Dual Cab 4x4

Price: from $45,990 (plus on-road costs)

On-sale: Now

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo diesel

Power: 132kW at 4000rpm

Torque: 420Nm at 1750rpm

Transmission: 8-spd automatic, 4WD

Fuel use: 8.3L/100km

Calling into the Top End

The Old telegraph Track was built in 1885 and was hacked through the tropical scrub to enable the Overland Telegraph Line to be built.

Initially, the two wires were used to transmit morse code with the original homesteads acting as repeater stations, but the line was eventually changed to telephone cable and was still in use until 1987.

Only passable in the dry season (typically about May to October) the track crosses several rivers, most of which feature bush campsites.

If you don't have the vehicle or the confidence to take the Telegraph Track, there's an alternative road called the Peninsular Development Road, but it misses out on some great camping places and is heavily corrugated in places.

The popular consensus seems to be to take the Telegraph Track north to the tip and then return on the Development Road.

That makes sense as the steepest drop-ins are all on the southern side of the crossings which would make them vertical climbs out of the rivers going the other way.

As with any activity in this part of the world, researching conditions ahead of travel is the smart thing to do.